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Sony A7S overview

The Sony Alpha a7S Mirrorless Digital Camera features a full-frame 12.2MP Exmor CMOS sensor and BIONZ X image processor to enable notable video and still image quality with an expansive dynamic range, low noise, and extended sensitivity to ISO 409600. At the sensor level, this full-frame sensor features a unique on-chip gapless lens design, which incorporates small lenses between neighboring pixels in order to increase light-gathering efficiency and promote greater image quality across the entirety of the sensor plane. The sensor and processor combination also avails a wealth of speed throughout the camera system, including a top continuous shooting rate of 5 fps, support for 4K video recording, and a fast 25-point contrast-detection AF system with sensitivity to -4 EV.

Beyond its still image performance, the a7S is also quite adept in regard to recording video. It is able to output uncompressed 4:2:2 UHD 4K video to an optional external recorder over HDMI, as well as record full HD 1080p video in the high-quality XAVC S format at 50 Mbps in multiple frame rates. Extending the video recording capabilities is support for S-Log2 gamma, which helps to expand the effective dynamic range during recording, as well as picture profile options, time code, and zebra marker display aids. Sound can be recorded in the AAC/Linear PCM format via the internal stereo microphone, with a built-in headphone jack for on-board monitoring, or via an external microphone.

Rounding out the a7S's imaging capabilities, both a 3.0" 921.6k-dot tilting LCD monitor and 2.36 million-dot OLED electronic viewfinder are available for image monitoring and review. Built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, with support for NFC, is available, too, for instant sharing of imagery from the camera as well as remote camera control from a linked mobile device.

Full-Frame Exmor Sensor and BIONZ X Image Processor

Incorporated within the sleek body design is a 12.2MP full-frame Exmor CMOS sensor and BIONZ X image processor, which work together to enable an expansive dynamic range with minimal noise and notable sensitivity. The a7S features a native sensitivity range from ISO 100-102400, which is further expandable to ISO 50-409600. Coupled with the large individual pixel size the 12.2MP sensor affords, this camera is well-suited to use in low-light conditions.

The sensor's design also features a new-generation RGB color filter array, as well as a gapless on-chip lens design. Together, these two technologies enable truly efficient light-gathering abilities that further reinforce the low noise, high-sensitivity design. Furthermore, an anti-reflective coating has also been applied to the seal glass of the image sensor to minimize surface reflections, glare, and ghosting for contrast-rich, color-neutral imagery.

The sensor and processor combination also avail a wealth of performance-related benefits to still shooting, including a Speed Priority continuous shooting rate of 5 fps, or a 2.5 fps shooting rate with continuous AF. The contrast-detection AF system employs 25 distinct points to quickly and precisely acquire focus in light levels as low as -4 EV to support working in a wide variety of shooting conditions.

Full Pixel Read-Out with Clean HDMI Out for 4K Recording

Line-Skipping has been the Achilles Heel of video recording DSLR and Mirrorless cameras since video recording was first introduced. Most full-frame and APS-C still cameras have extremely high pixel counts, which is great for still photography, but makes utilizing the whole sensor technically infeasible when recording video since scaling down, say a 36 megapixel image in real time would require a much more expensive image processor and generate more heat than such a compact body could handle. So traditionally these cameras skip lines when recording video, leading to major aliasing and moiré from the large sample gaps as well as decreased resolution and increased noise. However, the lower resolution sensor of the a7S is designed for video recording and features a full sensor readout without any line skipping. This means you will see a sharp image devoid of major aliasing and moiré whether recording internally at 1080p or externally in UHD 4K.

For times when the high quality 50 Mbps XAVC S Codec is not enough the a7S is able to output uncompressed UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at a 4:2:2 color depth over HDMI to compatible third party recorders. Or, if recording internally to a memory card the HDMI can output 1080p at 4:2:2 for external recorders or HD monitors that don't support 4K inputs. The full list of supported HDMI output signals is:

3840 x 2160 (30p/24p)

1920 x 1080 (60p/24p)

1920 x 1080 (60i), YCbCr 4:2:2 8-bit/RGB 8-bit

Up to 120 fps High Speed Video Recording

In addition to the standard 24p/30p/60i recording formats the a7S is also able to record at much higher frame rates for slow motion playback, albeit at lower resolutions. 1080p video can be recorded in up to 60p using the entire sensor. And 120 fps is possible at 720p using an approximately APS-C sized center crop of the sensor. 120 fps recording allows for about 5x slow motion when played back in 24p.

Customizable Color Profiles and S-Log2 Gamma

To make sure the a7S is able to use its extensive dynamic range while recording video it incorporates extensive customizable color and gamma controls. Users can adjust the gamma, black level, knee, color level, and more. Also users can use the same S-Log2 Gamma Curve that is found on high end Sony Cinema cameras that squeezes up to 1300% more dynamic range into the video signal then traditional REC709, for increased post-production flexibility.

Flexible Timecode Options

The a7S has multiple timecode recording options to meet different workflows. It has the standard 'Record Run" mode that only advances the timecode when recording, as well as "Free Run" timecode that advances the timecode even when not recording, which can be great for syncing multiple cameras at live events. It can also record timecode in both drop frame and non-drop frame modes. When recording internally the a7S is also able to output timecode via HDMI, and timecode output is also supported when outputting 4K over HDMI.

Live Video Overlays

The a7S features many of the same real-time visual overlays and aids that professional video users have come to rely on. These include focus peaking to aid in manual focusing, zebra markers to help judge overexposure, and an audio level overlay for mixing audio. Also focus magnification is available for checking critical focus. These are available in both viewfinder and LCD display.

Audio Input & Headphone Jack

The a7S features a 3.5mm microphone input jack for compatibility with external microphones. And for users needing more the a7S is also compatible with the Sony XLR-k1M XLR Adapter for recording professional balanced XLR audio signals with phantom power and adjustable mic/line inputs.
For monitoring audio the a7S features a 3.5mm headphone jack as well as real time audio levels for a visual reference.

Body Design

Revolving around a compact, sleek body design, the a7S features both a large rear LCD monitor as well as a bright electronic viewfinder. The rear 3.0" 921.6k-dot Xtra Fine LCD features a tilting design (up 90° and down 45°) to benefit working from both high and low angles. Also benefitting visibility with the rear monitor is the incorporation of WhiteMagic technology, which noticeably increases brightness for easier viewing in sunlit conditions. When shooting at eye-level, the 0.5" XGA OLED electronic viewfinder features a high 0.71x magnification and a 2.36 million-dot resolution for precise monitoring capabilities.

Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC

Built-in Wi-Fi connectivity enables the a7S to instantly share imagery to mobile devices for direct sharing online to social networking, via email, and to cloud storage sites. NFC (Near Field Communication) is also supported, which allows for one-touch connection between the camera and compatible mobile devices; no complex set-up is required. Once connected, the linked mobile device can also display a live view image on its screen and remotely control the camera's shutter.

Additionally, PlayMemories Camera Apps are also supported via the built-in Wi-Fi connection, and allow you to personalize the camera's features depending on specific shooting styles. Apps are available to suit creating portraits, detailed close-ups, sports, time lapse, motion shot, and other specific types of imagery.

Face Detection is available to base exposure and focus on up to eight recognized faces. Furthermore, Eye AF can be used for even greater precision by maintaining critical focus on a subject's eye.

Auto Object Framing automatically creates compositions revolving around portrait and still life subjects and aesthetically crops imagery based on the rule of thirds, where the subject is located within the frame, exposure on your subject, and, in the case of portraiture, the direction he or she is looking.

2x Clear Image Zoom can be used to effectively double the magnification afforded by any lens in use with minimal image degradation. For even greater magnification, 1.5x and 2x Smart zoom is available, as well as 4x digital zoom.

Sony A7S reviews

Alpha a7S Mirrorless Digital Camera is rated
4.5 out of
5 by
117.

Rated 5 out of
5 by
brian from
Best all purpose a7I use this camera mainly for street photography and especially at night. It has insane iso capabilities (as you've all heard I'm sure). I have mine set to auto iso usually with a max of 51200. Pics are still very useable at this range although you will see a little bit of noise... but we're talking about useable at 51200 here- that's pretty incredible. The beauty of having a vast iso range like this particularly for my uses, is that even when the sun goes down I can still shoot with fast shutter speeds and freeze action as I please because auto-iso will take care of the rest. Also- 12mp is more than enough. Don't believe the numbers hype.

Date published: 2014-09-30

Rated 4 out of
5 by
Captain Camera from
My F3 shrunk to an NEX7!!!I have used this camera as a second camera to cut with my F5 and F3. and with the S-log profile, it really matches well.The mirrorless design E mount is one of the most versatile mounts out there, and opens up a lot of great lensing possibilities.I really like how Sony basically make an F3 into the Nex7 with this camera. Its a dream come true for my documentary projects, but on bigger jobs, the major limitation is the rolling shutter on this camera. In this price range its as good as it gets, but the shutter really separates it from the Pro cameras.some of the button placements are awkward on the camera, but it'd be great to get more options when setting the custom keys!

Date published: 2014-07-14

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Blair Kent from
the A7s is OutstandingI have compared this unit as a camera to my Leica m9 and the colour rendition plus dynamic range is excellent. Combine this with the ISO capability and this has quickly become my go to camera. The 55m and 35 mm Sony and leica lens work like a charm. Hopefully Sony will work towards building a sensor with the same ISO capabilities at 24 MP. Another note, the audio of the Video is very nice much better than any camera I have owned with an internal Mic. Overall I would give this machine very high marks. I can't comment too much on the video but it looks great in HD. Waiting for the External 4K drive system. Sony, give us more 2.8 FE Lens choices !

Date published: 2014-07-08

Rated 3 out of
5 by
LutzM from
a jewel of a camera, but Sony Service failsWell, meanwhile, you all know the pros and cons of this little gem. But what you maybe don t know is that there s a massive fail on some units (a lot of them actually, might want to test your own camera) when shooting video at high ISO. On some users it appears already at 12800, on some at over 100k. There is a nasty, high visible and annoying purple flare in the left upper and lower corner, making the footage unusable. Problem is that Sony Service doesn t fix this problem, doesn t replace the camera with a proper unit, even if under legal warranty conditions. Unacceptable, especially when we bought this camera for its outstanding high ISO performance and when in all the reviews there was no trace of this nasty purple flare. Beware, lots of the a7s units have this problem and Sony Service doesn t do anything about it.

Date published: 2015-08-27

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Anonymous from
Even Better Than ExpectedAfter seeing a number of videos with test footage from the camera, I was very excited to try the camera out because of its image quality. I originally intended on renting the camera for a video shoot, but decided to take the leap and just buy the camera anyways. Couldn't be happier with the camera. It does nearly everything I'd like it to do. Big upgrade from my Canon rebel T3i. The EVF is beautiful, peaking is incredibly helpful... I'm very satisfied with my decision to buy the camera. Highly recommend anyone considering this camera to take the leap as I did and get the camera, you won't be disappointed.

Date published: 2014-09-28

Rated 4 out of
5 by
Paul K from
Great camera for videoThis is a great camera for narrative work. It is incredibly versatile with its ability to switch between full frame and super35 sensor readout, E-mount can be adapted to pretty much everything, and the dynamic range is second only to an Alexa or Amira. It makes a great B cam for bigger budgeted projects and an amazing A cam for lower budgets.The rolling shutter is a bit more prevalent than I expected, but its easy to shoot around.The batteries are not the longest lifed, so I would recommend buying extras or an external battery.If you are going to shoot S-Log2 outside, high NDs are needed.

Date published: 2014-12-10

Rated 4 out of
5 by
david2.384 from
Best small form video cameraI am working on a caving documentary, and the A7s is the best small form stills video camera I have ever used. It actually exposes locations slightly brighter than my eyes can see. Its small and light weight for travel. It has customizable buttons avoiding menus while shooting, a robust video codec at 50 Mbps, Slog2 for dynamic range, audio in and out, zebras, peaking, and a view finder that works while shooting video. The camera gets 5 stars but I gave it 4 because of the native lens selection. I know it has an adaptor, but it takes away some of that range finder form factor that makes this camera so nice. Other than that, I actually love this camera. I don't miss my 6D at all. (It also takes pretty great photos)

Date published: 2014-07-14

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Campers from
Love it! Great Video! Easy to Use.I had a Blackmagic Cinema Camera but as I do a lot of run and gun I bought the a7S and am very happy about that. The autofocus, autoexporsure and overall autos make it very easy to shoot video run and gun. I love the ability to shoot anywhere with the low light capabilities. Overall I am very happy with this over my cinema camera. One thing I liked more on the CC is that it was obviously a video only camera. It had specific controls for that where as this is obviously meant to be a photos camera that can do video. It's not a deal breaker but it's something that I wish was a little better. QUality is great. Make sure you have a 64gb SDXC card to do the better codec, no one tells you this but it needs to be 64gb to shoot in XAVC S.